Match Preview: Bromley v Tranmere Rovers
By Deadly Submarine
August 4 2016
As Tranmere prepare to open their 2016/17 campaign away at Bromley on Saturday afternoon, Deadly Submarine stands in for Louise Formston with his match preview ahead of the game.....
After what seems like an eternity of waiting it’s finally here! Tranmere kick off their 2016/17 National League campaign with a long trip to Bromley on Saturday afternoon as Gary Brabin’s men look to go one better than last season and at the very least make the play-offs this time around.
Form Guide:
Although little can really be read into friendly results, it’s fair to say that Bromley had a good pre-season campaign, playing seven matches and winning six of them including a 2-1 home win over League One side Charlton Athletic.
Their only defeat also came at home against League One opposition when Neil Harris’s Millwall triumphed 2-1 at Hayes Lane in mid-July.
Albeit against lower league opposition, Bromley went through their final three pre-season games without conceding a goal, winning away at Glebe FC (2-0), Beckenham Town (3-0) and relegated National League side Welling United (5-0) in quick succession.
Rovers of course ended their pre-season campaign by thumping Conference North favourites AFC Fylde 4-1 with a great performance last weekend. Aside from losing to a relatively strong Liverpool side in their opening pre-season game, Rovers’ only other defeat came thanks to two late goals from League One side Bolton at Prenton Park which handed the Trotters a 2-1 win.
Previous Meetings:
Prior to the 2015/16 season, the two sides have never locked horns before and it was Rovers who triumphed on both occasions in the last campaign.
At Prenton Park in early October, Rovers rode an early storm against the Kent side before a pair of braces from Johnny Margetts and Andy Mangan handed Rovers a comfortable 4-0 win whilst in the return game at Hayes Lane in January it was right-back Lee Vaughan’s excellent finish that sealed the three points for Rovers in a 1-0 win.
Andy Cook could make his competitive debut for Rovers at Bromley on Saturday
Injuries and Suspensions:
Based on the last outing at Fylde last Saturday, Rovers appear to have no real injury concerns going into this game although defender Michael Ihiekwe wasn’t involved last Saturday but the reasons for his absence remain unknown.
My Starting XI:
Davies
Vaughan McNulty Ihiekwe Ridehalgh
C.Jennings Harris Stephenson
Mekki Norwood
Cook
Without a previous competitive game to work from and with a number of very good performances in pre-season the team that will start down in Kent on Saturday and indeed the formation they will play, is anybody’s guess really!
The team I’ve chosen above leaves out Lois Maynard, Steven Jennings, Jake Kirby and Jeff Hughes amongst others despite all of them performing well in pre-season but something has to give and with the above formation (or something similar) being used in a number of the later pre-season games I can only make the assumption that we will line up the same way on Saturday afternoon.
The other thing the chosen team line-up above teaches us is that the squad as a whole is strong in its depth this season compared to last season. A possible bench of Turner, Maynard, Kirby, Jennings and Hughes is certainly not to be sniffed at!
My Prediction:
I don’t want my hopes to get me carried away early in the season until we’ve got some game behind us but if we can continue our superb away form from last season I see no reason why Rovers can’t win this season opener.
Bromley 0–2 Tranmere Rovers
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It's a joke folks....
Quote:WWStandsure
A fair assessment of squad & possible result (unless the reason for Ihiekwe being 'missing' is that Manchester Red Socks have bid £100 million for him??).
It's a joke folks....
It's only £50 million based on appearance's,£15 million up front the rest over three years subject to performance's.
Quote:the kav
Gotta watch moses emmanuel he is dangerous
The last I heard Emmanuel had left them and was training with other Clubs!
Then I ate his Liver.......... with some baked beans and a can of coke.
Quote:Deadly SubmarineQuote:the kav
Gotta watch moses emmanuel he is dangerous
The last I heard Emmanuel had left them and was training with other Clubs!
Moses Emmanuel has re-signed for dover. I see that bromley have brought in 3 or 4 new players over the past couple of days. In fact, a lot of clubs have been frantically getting new players in this past week, ahead of the new season. Hoping the rovers kick off the new campaign with a good result today and then go on to do both barrow n eastleigh and by doing this show the rest of the conference that we mean business. Enjoy the game today deadly n kav, and roar the rovers on for me too, cheers.
Quote:853OKG
i cannot see GB leaving out S Jennings....
Told you lol